Ruth Reed, President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), noted that the quality of the "regional" winners (93 in different parts of the UK and another 9 buildings by RIBA members in the EU) has not decreased compared to previous years, despite the most serious for the British architectural and in the construction sector, the economic crisis over the past 45 years (there are so many RIBA Awards)
Of these 102 structures of various sizes (in particular, among them were "works of small forms": the London July 7 Memorial, dedicated to the victims of the 2005 subway bombings, and the Regent's Place Pavilion - the work of young architects Carmody Groke, who received the RIBA award for the first time) will be shortlisted for the Stirling Award for the best building of the year.
In 2010, there are a lot of museums among the laureates. Observers note that this may be the last “fruitful” year for cultural institutions: the crisis hit the hardest on non-commercial projects that, at first glance, do not belong to “essential” buildings. Among them, a special place is occupied by the most successful reconstructions - the Ashmolean Museum by architect Rick Mather in Oxford and Berlin's New Museum David Chipperfield. Both of them can qualify for the Sterling Prize, and if successful, this will be the first time that not a new, but a rebuilt building has been won. Also on the list are Nottingham Center for Contemporary Art Caruso St John, Roman MAXXI Museum Zaha Hadid, Center for Contemporary Art VISUAL in Irish Carlow Terry Pawson, creative workshops in Aberystwyth by Thomas Heatherwick, Music Center for Creativity in Aldeber by Haworth Tomkins and one of the most "high-rise" buildings in Britain - the Visitor Center of Mount Snowdon in Wales by Ray Hole (Ray Hole).
The jury also noted more "mundane" buildings - the Infinity Bridge by Spence Associates in Tisdale, Will Alsop's Chips residential complexes in Manchester and Highbury Square in London by Eliza & Morrison, the Salvation Army office in Chemsford Hudson Architects, the British Embassy in Warsaw, Tony Fretton, the administrative complexes - Campus Palmas Altas in Seville by Richard Rogers and the Barcelona City of Justice by David Chipperfield. Clapham Manor Elementary School in London by drmm workshop is also eligible for the Sterling Prize.
Unlike the RIBA awards, the AJ100 award is much more pragmatic. It is based on a list of the 100 largest British workshops, which are traditionally topped by firms such as BDP, Atkins, Capita Architecture, Aedas and Archial. Norman Foster's bureau, also usually in the top ten (this year it came in 2nd with 279 architects working in the UK) seems to be an exception. Also awarded are such awards as "Greenest Workshop of the Year" (Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios), "Workshop of the Year" (Austin-Smith: Lord), "Major Contribution to the Profession" (Laura Lee, CEO of Maggie Cancer Centers) … Among them there was a place for the “building of the year”, which became the Kroon Hall of Yale University, the work of the Michael Hopkins bureau. It was awarded for its environmental friendliness (LEED platinum certification) and attractive appearance (facades clad in golden natural stone, interiors - red oak, natural light is widely used). Honorable Mentions include, among others, the Broadcasting Tower student residence in Leeds by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and the Grosvenor Waterside in London by Make.
